Reported speech (said that ~)

② Nepali grammar rules

1. Content + भन्नु

In उहाँले «म आउँछु» भन्नुभयो (he/she said, “I will come”), quoted content precedes the reporting verb. भन्नुभयो is respectful past, भन्नुहुन्छ respectful present, agreeing with outer agent उहाँले.

2. Pronouns inside and outside quotation

म inside «म आउँछु» (“I will come”) refers to the original speaker.
An indirect formulation such as उहाँ आफू आउने कुरा भन्नुहुन्छ (he/she says that he/she will come) can use reflexive आफू and a nominalized content phrase.

3. भनेर, भन्ने and भने

भनेर links quoted content in «आउँछु» भनेर भन्नुभयो (said, “I will come”); भन्ने frames content in आउने भन्ने कुरा (the matter/content of coming). भने in आउनुभयो भने (if you/he/she comes, respectful) is conditional.
Their shared shape does not give them one identical function.

4. Negation inside or outside the quote

«आउँदिनँ» भन्नुभयो (said, “I will not come”) reports saying I will not come. «आउँछु» भन्नुभएन (did not say, “I will come”) denies saying I will come.
Moving negation across the quotation boundary changes what is asserted.

5. Time words and habitual reporting

Quoted भोलि is tomorrow relative to the original speech.
Contrast habitual reporting भन्नुहुन्थ्यो with a completed report भन्नुभयो.
Indirect reporting follows the intended time relations rather than obligatory English-style backshift.

Direct quotation and indirect reporting

In direct speech, म refers to the original speaker.

Indirect reporting uses आफू, self, to refer back to the subject and बिरामी, ill, + भएको to package the reported state. बताउनुभयो is the respectful past of बताउनु, tell/report.